The Medici Girl

The Duomo

Contessina did not sleep during the night. Her mind would not let her rest so she began to pack the most important of her posessions, starting with the jewels she had collected over the years. She was leaving Firenze one way or another. Even if she had to follow Ezio to Monteriggioni, she was determined not to be in the place that had been hell for most of her life. She wrote letters to everyone after packing her belongings into a large satchel that could be tied to a saddle.

Sighing she waited for the day to begin and then dressed herself in the blue dress she had made for such an occasion. Contessina figured she may as well wear it once before leaving it to gather dust forever in Firenze. She did not care what her mother would think about her leaving at this point, she belonged to Ezio, not the Medici. There was no time to be sitting in a place where she was only taking up space with little to no growth.

She did not stop when she heard a knock at her door and the sound of Lorenzo's voice on the other side. He was asking to come in and speak with her, but she was not sure if she wanted to hear what he had to say. However, Contessina sighed knowing that she may need her cousin's help in the future. So, she went to the door and opened it, letting Lorenzo come into her room. He saw the bag that she had packed on her bed and looked at her with a sympathetic glint in his eyes.

"You are leaving?" Lorenzo asked, but she did not reply as she continued to ready herself for church. "I had guessed the reason for your behavior last night had something to do with your husband."

"Lorenzo, I make my own decisions. Yes, Ezio is my husband, but he has never tried to control me or even tried to make me be something I am not. All of Firenze love the Medici because of what they see on the outside, but they don't know what goes on within the walls of this Palazzo." She told her cousin as Giuliano appeared in the doorway. "All of this tradition and reliance on the glory of God to persue your endeavors is a façade. I believed that Grandfather had done something wonderful for the glory of God, but in all honesty, he was doing it for his own glory. You are doing the same, but you also keep the people in mind and for that I cannot give you any grievences." She was speaking the truth. Contessina found it liberating because now she only had one goal in mind and that was to go home with the man she loved.

"Is this how you see your family then?" Lorenzo asked her with a calm demeanor. He was so calm she expected him to explode on her, but all he did was sit on the edge of her bed. "Is this truly how you see us?" She sat next to him knowing that he had a hard time seeing the truth like she did.

"I have spent most of my life in the shadow of Lorenzo de'Medici and when I finally got a taste of freedom, it was ripped out from under my feet. You are not to blame for that, but since I have lived here I have been a prisoner. If it isn't you, its my mother, or your wife. I know you meant well by it, but you know as well as I do that I was never meant to belong here." Contessina said looking down at her feet.

"No, you belong with the Auditore. I am sorry, Contessina. I should've treated you better." He put his forhead to hers and then kissed it. "You have my blessing to go."

"But first, you must let me escort you to the Duomo for church." Giuliano pipped up from where he leaned on the doorframe. Contessina stood up with a smile on her face as Lorenzo followed her.

"Of course, Giuliano." She gave him a bigger smile as she grabbed his arm and pulled him along. "How could I forget the most boring of all Medici?" Her mood had greatly improved, almost as if she were a child again.

Ezio had made his way into the crowd gathering in front of the Santa Maria del Fiore. Most of the people in the crowd were of the lower class in Firenze, but they were more than welcome to proceed with the service that would be held inside the cathedral. He watched from his position as Francesco de'Pazzi and his uncle stood on the steps of the church waiting for Lorenzo and his family to arrive. Ezio could see the Medici family making their way down the street to the Piazza with happy faces. If only they knew what was going to happen within the hour.